Spike.



W. R. HIGGINS.

SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILBD MAR. 12, 1912.

1,044,420, Patented Nov. 12,1912.

WI T/VE 88E 8 INVENTOI? ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. BIGG INS, 0F SIERRA BLANCA, TEXAS.

SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Application filed March 12, 1912. Serial No. 683,248.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Brooms, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of Sierra Blanca, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Spike, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates generally to spikes and more particularly to those especially adapted for use in holding rails secured to ties.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved spike having recessed sides, each of the said recessed sides being provided with a lower side wall whereby, when the spike is driven into the tie, the material thereof may come into engagement with the spike in the recesses and the said side walls, thereby holding the spike securely in position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved spike having a double pointed end, the material of the spike longitudinally thereof between the tapering portions of the pointed end being removed,

whereby the material of the tie, whenthe spike is driven into place, will engage with the sides of the spike, thereby holding the spike securely in position.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of referdriving portion 3; referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the material; of the head adjacent opposite sides 4 of the driving head is outwardly extended, thereby forming shoulders- The head 2 is extended for a substantial distance to one side of the shank 1 of the spike, as at 5, the head being also extended for a suitable distance at the opposite side of the shank, as shown at 6.

It is to be noted that the distance from the striking face 3 to the lower edge of the portion 6 is substantially greater fromthat of the portion 3 to the lower edge of the portion 5, the difference in distances being substantially equal to the thickness of the outer edge portion 7 of the'rail 8. The extending portions 4 at opposite sides of the head 2 whereby the spike is firmly are provided in order that, when it is desired to withdraw the spike, the toe of the bar may engage therewith, the tie providing a suitable fulcrum. Of course the distance between the face 3 and the lower edge of the port-ion 6 may be greater orless than that shown in the drawings, the salne being also true of the distance between the face 3 and the lower edge of the portion 5, it being important, however, that the difference in these distances be substantially equal to the thickness of the bottom of the rail with which the spike is to be used.

The shank 1 is provided. at opposite sides with recesses 9, the upper portions of which gradually taper at; 10 into the body of the shank, the lower ends of the recesses, however, forming normally extending side walls 11, the purpose of which will be later set forth. The lower 'end of the shank 1 is provided with a plurality of points 12, the points being formed by removing the material at the end of the spike on opposite sides in order to form V-shaped recesses 13. It will be particularly noted that the V- shaped recesses 13 lie substantially in the same vertical plane as the recesses 9 in the opposite "sides of the shank 1.

When the spike is driven into operative position in the tie 14, as shown in Fig. 1-, the under face of the extending portion 5 atone side of the spike engages the top of the outer edge portion 7 of the bottom of the rail 8,

thereby holding the same securely in position; it will be noted that the lower face ofthe extending portion 6 at the opposite side of the head engages the top of the tie positioned with respectto the rail and the tie.

As the spike is driven into the material of the tie, the tapering sides of the points 12 displace the material, due to the driving effeet, the material being displaced a minimum amount in the line in which the V- shaped recesses 13"pass so that, when the spike is further driven, this material which was adjacent these recesses 13 comes adjacent the recesses 9, portions of the material engaging the-side walls 11 at the bottom of the recesses, which extend inwardly and normally from the faces of the spike, thereby tending to prevent withdrawal or loosening of the spike. V

"Of'course a spikeofparticular size and relative dimension is shown in the drawings; it is obvious that a spike may be varied in minor respects as to the sizes of the different portions thereof in order to adapt it to different work and different rails, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent A spike having recesses in opposite sides thereof, the lower end wall of each recess being flat and extending inwardly and normally to the face of the spike, the said sides bein each provided with a V-shaped recess ad acent the lower end thereof, whereby a plurality of points are provided,

recesses will enter into the said first recesses and by engagement with the said bottom walls of the said recesses prevent the spikes from being withdrawn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 0t 25 two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM R. HIGGINS. \Vitnesses WILL A. FOLEY, H. B. PRICE. 

